Masako Ganaha

Japanese conservative political activist and freelance journalist

The native form of this personal name is Ganaha Masako. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Masako Ganaha

我那覇真子
Born|  (1989-08-10) August 10, 1989 (age 35)[1]

Nago, Okinawa

Alma mater| Waseda University School of Human Sciences
Occupation| Freelance journalist
Years active| 2013–
Organization(s)| Citizens' and People's Association for Correcting the Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Times
Title| Representative Operating Committee Member of Citizens' and People's Association for Correcting the Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Times
Broadcaster at Okinawa Branch of Nippon Culture Channel Sakura
Movement| Conservatism
Opponent(s)| Ryukyu Shimpo[note 1]
Okinawa Times
Opponents of U.S. military bases in Okinawa
Parent| Takahiro Ganaha (father)
Relatives| Takao Ganaha (uncle)
Takemitsu Ganaha (grandfather)
Chiken Kakazu (uncle)
Website| ganahamasako.com

Masako Ganaha (Japanese: 我那覇（がなは）真（まさ）子（こ）; born August 10, 1989)[3] is a Japanese freelance journalist and JSDF reservist. She is a representative operating committee member of the Citizens' and People's Association for Correcting the Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Times (琉球新報、沖縄タイムスを正す県民・国民の会).[3] She is also an external advisor for the Sanseitō party.[4]

## Background

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She was born in Nago, Okinawa.[3] Her father, Takahiro Ganaha, is an operating committee member of the Citizens' and People's Association for Correcting the Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Times. Her uncle, Takao Ganaha, was the co-representative of the "Okinawa People's Association for Straightening Out the Prefectural Government and Themselves," which was a separate action group of the "Correcting Association." Her grandfather, who claimed to be the originator of soki soba, was Takemitsu Ganaha, a former Nago City assembly member.[5] Her uncle,[note 2] Chiken Kakazu, was a former House of Representatives member.[6]

She aspired to become an FBI special agent,[2] and studied abroad in Ohio and California during her time at Okinawa Prefectural Nago High School in 2005.[3] However, upon learning that U.S. citizenship was a minimum requirement for FBI special agents, she gave up on her FBI dream, returned to Japan, and dropped out of Nago High School.[2] She subsequently obtained a high school equivalency diploma and entered the School of Human Sciences at Waseda University.[2] While at university, she served as an executive committee member for the Japan Student Association Fund, which hosted the Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Junior High School English Speech Contest.[3][2] She graduated in March 2012.[3] After graduation, she was set to join a publishing company, but changed her path due to differences in editorial policy. She returned to her family's home in Nago City to tutor children in English and dance and began her political activities.[2]

On February 21, 2013, she delivered a speech advocating for the relocation of the Futenma Air Station to Camp Schwab in Henoko, Nago City, at a "Nago City Residents' Rally to Promote the Relocation of the Dangerous Futenma Air Station to Henoko."[7][2][8] This marked the start of her engagement in public discourse.[2]

In November 2013, based on her experience from speeches, and with the cooperation of Headline Co., Ltd. [ja], where she had interned during university,[9] she established Yanbaru Press LLC and launched the local free paper "Yanbaru Press" (やんばるプレス).[10] The content ranged from political topics, including interviews with Diet members, to local information titled Nago Beauty (名護美人, Nago Bijin). Despite receiving significant feedback and distributing all copies of the first issue, the paper was discontinued due to editorial differences with Headline Co., Ltd.[11] Additionally, during the 2014 Okinawa gubernatorial election, she served as the public relations officer for the campaign of former Okinawan Governor Hirokazu Nakaima.[11] In April 2015, she established the Citizens' and People's Association for Correcting the Ryukyu Shimpo and the Okinawa Times, which criticizes local newspapers in Okinawa. She has also contributed articles to Sekai Nippo, affiliated with the Unification Church.[3][12] At the same time, she served as a caster for the Okinawa branch of Nippon Culture Channel Sakura.[3]

Starting in December 2016, she, her father Takahiro, and her younger sister Mai began broadcasting two radio programs, "Okinawa Defense Information Bureau" and "Applied Psychology Radio Seminar," by purchasing airtime on a local community FM station.[13] This subsequently became a subject of civil litigation. On January 2, 2017, she appeared on the "News Girls" (ニュース女子, Nyūsu Joshi) program (DHC TV), which became a matter of investigation by the Broadcast Ethics & Program Improvement Organization (BPO) following protests from opposition groups.

In October 2020, she traveled to the United States to cover the 2020 United States presidential election.[14] She reported from the U.S. through her YouTube channel and other internet video channels remotely and stayed in the U.S. until March 2021, when she returned to Japan.[15]

In May 2022, she gave an interview to Unification Church-affiliated newspaper 'Sekai Nippo', discussing the book 'Blackout' by black conservative activist Candace Owens, which she translated. She expressed her views on the black community in America, stating that "the Democratic Party implants a victim mentality, creating a scenario where they must vote for the welfare-oriented party."[12][16]

## 2020 U.S. presidential election

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### Cornell University Library archive

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As a result of widespread baseless election fraud claims, which undermined trust in the election, Masako Ganaha was documented as one of the sources in a dataset on the arXiv archive site operated by Cornell University.[17]

## 2021 United States Capitol attack

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Masako Ganaha in 2020

She claimed that some participants in the protest during the Capitol attack were Antifa members who incited the violence.[18] Similar claims were made by many Trump supporters but were thoroughly debunked by fact-checking organizations.[19] Consequently, misinformation and disinformation spread in Japan, but there has been no retraction from her.

## Bibliography

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### Books

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* Ganaha, Masako (January 27, 2016). Nippon o mamoru Okinawa no tatakai —Nippon no Jannu Daruku kaku katariki— 日本を守る沖縄の戦い ―日本のジャンヌダルクかく語りき― [The Battle to Protect Japan in Okinawa: Japan's Joan of Arc Speaks] (in Japanese). Aibas Publishing. ISBN 978-4-861-13616-0.
* Ganaha, Masako; Morgan, Jason (November 16, 2023). LGBT no katararezaru riaru: Nippon wa Amerika no higeki ni manabe! ＬＧＢＴの語られざるリアル：日本はアメリカの悲劇に学べ！ [The Untold Reality of LGBT: Japan Must Learn from America's Tragedy!] (in Japanese). Business-sha [ja]. ISBN 9784828425757.+[ja]&rft.date=2023-11-16&rft.isbn=9784828425757&rft.aulast=Ganaha&rft.aufirst=Masako&rft.au=Morgan,+Jason&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Masako+Ganaha" class="Z3988">

#### Translations

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* Owens, Candace (April 20, 2022). Burakkuauto: Amerika kokujin ni yoru, “Minshutō no arata na dorei nōjō" kara no dokuritsu sengen ブラックアウト：アメリカ黒人による、“民主党の新たな奴隷農場"からの独立宣言 [Blackout: How Black America can Make its Second Escape from the Democrat Plantation] (in Japanese). Translated by Ganaha, Masako. Hōjōsha. ISBN 978-4908925931.
* Original work: Candace Owens (September 15, 2020). Blackout: How Black America Can Make its Second Escape from the Democrat Plantation. ISBN 978-1982133276.

### Television

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#### International

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* New Tang Dynasty Television — December 24, 2020 — Journalist Masako Ganaha: "Japan Faces the Same Danger as the U.S."
* Fox & Friends — May 2, 2023 — Rahm Emanuel faces pushback in Japan for pushing 'LGBTQ ideology'

#### Japanese

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* In Search of the Truth! (真相深入り！, Shinsō Fukairi!) Toranomon News [ja] (虎ノ門ニュース) (DHC Television [ja]) — October 27, 2015, April 13, 2016, August 31, 2016, February 23, 2017, March 22, 2017, May 31, 2017, June 22, 2017 (Special Program), July 4, 2017, October 10, 2017, November 28, 2017, December 12, 2017, February 6, 2018, February 13, 2018, April 24, 2018, May 22, 2018, July 24, 2018
* News Zap [ja] (BS-SKP) — September 29, 2016
* News Girls [ja] (DHC TV) — January 6, 2017 (VTR appearance)
* Hōgen BAR Leaks – Sake, Politics, Money, and Women – (DHC TV) —April 15, 2017, April 22, 2017

### Web video

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* Okinawa's Voice (Nippon Culture Channel Sakura) Okinawa branch caster (web distribution only)
* Masako Ganaha's Ookinawa (Nippon Culture Channel Sakura) — January 5, 2018

### Radio

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* Shinzo Abe and Yoshiko Sakurai, New Year Dialogue: "How to Build a Strong Japan" (新春対談：強いニッポンの創り方, Shinshun Taidan: Tsuyoi Nippon no Tsukurikata) (Nippon Broadcasting System) — January 1, 2018 (interviewer)[note 3]

## References

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1. ^ "Ganaha Masako WEBSITE" 我那覇 真子 WEBSITE [Masako Ganaha's Website] (in Japanese). September 10, 2016. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ganaha Masako-san "FBI no ējento ni naritakatta" "Okinawa wa 'hōkaku hakuchū' ga shin no sugata" "Jikka chikaku o urouro suru hito ga..." (3/5)" 我那覇真子さん「FBIのエージェントになりたかった」「沖縄は『保革伯仲』が真の姿」「実家近くをウロウロする人が…」 (3/5) [Masako Ganaha: "I wanted to become an FBI agent", "The true situation of Okinawa is 'balanced power between conservatives and liberals'", "Strange people wandering near my home..." (3/5)] (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. November 15, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ganaha Masako" 我那覇 真子. Viewpoint (in Japanese). Archived from the original on September 21, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
4. ^ "Menbā shōkai" メンバー紹介 [Introduction of Members]. 参政党 [Sanseitō] (in Japanese). Retrieved December 11, 2022.
5. ^ "Nago-shi Gikai Gi'in Meibo" 名護市議会議員名簿 [Nago City Assembly Members List] (in Japanese). Nago City Hall. Retrieved June 24, 2018.[dead link‍]
6. ^ "Ganaha Setsuko-san shikyo/Kakazu Chiken shūin gi'in no haha" 我那覇節子さん死去／嘉数知賢衆院議員の母 [Setsuko Ganaha, mother of House of Representative member Chiken Kakazu, passes away]. Shikoku News (in Japanese). Shikoku Shimbun. May 19, 2003. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
7. ^ ""Okinawa de jinken shingai nai" "Chiji wa Senkaku nerau Chūgoku no kyōi o mushi" Kokusai jinkenri de Henoko sanseiha ga hanron" 「沖縄で人権侵害ない」「知事は尖閣狙う中国の脅威を無視」 国連人権理で辺野古賛成派が反論 ["No human rights violations in Okinawa", "Governor ignores the threat of China targeting the Senkaku islands" - Pro-Henoko relocation side reacts at UN Human Rights Council] (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. September 22, 2015. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
8. ^ "Hokubu chiiki shinkō kyōgikai shimin taikai hiraki Henoko suishin o ketsugi" 北部地域振興協議会 市民大会開き辺野古推進を決議 [Northern Area Promotion Council Holds Citizens' Rally to Decide on Henoko Promotion] (in Japanese). Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting. February 22, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
9. ^ "[Kyō no hito] Okinawa·Nago de furī pēpā hakkan — Ganaha Masako-san (24)" 【きょうの人】沖縄・名護でフリーペーパー発刊 我那覇真子（がなは・まさこ）さん（２４） [[Today's Person] Launching a free paper in Nago, Okinawa: Masako Ganaha (24)]. Sankei News (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. November 15, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
10. ^ "11-gatsu 15-nichi ni Okinawa·Nago de shin media "Shinbun Yanbaru Press" sōkan" 11月15日に沖縄・名護で新メディア「新聞やんばるプレス」創刊 [New Media "Yanbaru Press" to Launch in Nago, Okinawa on November 15]. Tokyo Headline (in Japanese). Headline Co., Ltd. [ja]. November 8, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
11. ^ a b "Okinawa ken chiji-sen 20-dai no sentai kankei-sha ni kiita Okinawa no genzai (ge) — Kyasutā Ganaha Masako-san" 沖縄県知事選 20代の選対関係者に聞いた沖縄の現在（下） ── キャスター・我那覇真子さん [Okinawa Prefectural Governor Election: Interview with 20s Campaign Staff — Present Okinawa (Part 2) — Newscaster Masako Ganaha] (in Japanese). The Page. November 19, 2014. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
12. ^ a b "Gendai no dorei nōjō ni ochīru Beikoku kokujin shakai higai-sha ishiki uetsuke shihai" 「現代の奴隷農場」に陥る米国黒人社会 被害者意識植え付け支配 [The Modern Slave Farm Trap of the Black Community in America: How Victim Mentality is Imposed and Control is Maintained]. Viewpoint. Sekai Nippo. July 2022. pp. 76–79.
13. ^ ラジオはじめました♪ (2016年9月1日)|script-title=ja:ラジオはじめました♪|title=Rajio hajimemashita♪|trans-title=Starting Radio♪|date=2016-09-01|url=http://masakoganaha.weebly.com/blog/3424548
14. ^ Amerika daitōryō-sen kyoku shuzai kaishi! アメリカ大統領選挙取材開始! [Coverage of the U.S. Presidential Election Begins!] (YouTube video) (in Japanese).
15. ^ 3/30 Nihon kikoku hōkoku 🇯🇵 honban namahōsō 3/30日本帰国報告🇯🇵 本番生配信 [Report on Returning to Japan on March 30] (in Japanese).
16. ^ 'Sekai Nippo', May 27, 2022, p.8.
17. ^ VoterFraud2020: a Multi-modal Dataset of Election Fraud Claims on Twitter
18. ^ Hiroshi Ogawa 小川博司. "Gijidō ran'nyū de ANTIFA no kage o minuita Nihonjin josei" 議事堂乱入でANTIFAの影を見抜いた日本人女性 [A Japanese Woman Who Detected ANTIFA's Shadow in the Capitol Attack]. JBpress (in Japanese). Japan Business Press Group. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
19. ^ "There's no proof antifa stormed the Capitol. The rumor spread quickly anyway". PolitiFact. The Poynter Institute. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
20. ^ "Shinshun 2018-nen Abe Shinzō shushō to kataru Ganaha Masako-san: "Okinawa mondai, masukomi no inshō sōsa ga seifu to kokumin bundan" shushō "Kichi futan no keigen, mottomo susumete kita"" 【新春２０１８年 安倍晋三首相と語る】我那覇真子さん「沖縄問題、マスコミの印象操作が政府と国民分断」 首相「基地負担の軽減、最も進めてきた」 [[New Year 2018 Dialogue with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe] Masako Ganaha: "Okinawa Issue and Media Manipulation Dividing Government and People," Prime Minister: "Progressed Most in Reducing the Burden of Military Bases"]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). January 5, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
21. ^ Sakura LIVE dai 272-kai - Shinshun tokuban: Abe shushō ni hanayaka sakura-gumi ga semaru! Sakurai Yoshiko / Ganaha Masako / Nakai Sae / Takita Makiko (zenpen) 【櫻ＬＩＶＥ】第２７２回－新春特番：安倍首相に華やかさくら組が迫る！櫻井よしこ／我那覇真子／半井小絵／田北真樹子（全編） [(Free New Year Distribution) [Sakura LIVE] Episode 272 - New Year Special: Prime Minister Abe Confronted by Gorgeous Sakura Group! Yoshiko Sakurai / Masako Ganaha / Sae Nakai / Makiko Takita (Full Episode)] (YouTube). January 5, 2018.

### Notes

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1. ^ She clearly states in her profile that, due to her family's business, they subscribe regularly.[2]
2. ^ Half-brother to Takao and Takahiro
3. ^ Originally appearing with Abe, Sakurai, and Sae Nakai as part of the "Genron Sakura Group" project, also joined by Makiko Takita, the Prime Minister's Office reporter from Sankei Shimbun.[20][21]

## See also

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* Satoru Nakamura
* Michael Flynn

## External links

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* Masako Ganaha Official Website
* Masako Ganaha on Twitter
* Masako Ganaha on Facebook
* Masako Ganaha on Instagram
* Masako Ganaha Channel's channel on YouTube
* Masako Ganaha on Note.com

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Japan